Governor, 1857 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Hastings (H.H.) Sibley | Man | Democrat | 17,790 | 50.34 | +0.68 |
| Alexander Ramsey | Man | Republican | 17,550 | 49.66 |
This would stand as the most narrowly decided election until 1962 and remains the third most competitive in state history.
Sibley was a Wisconsin U.S. House territorial delegate (1848-1849), a Minnesota U.S. House territorial delegate (1849-1853), a member of the Minnesota Territorial House (HD 06, 1855), and member and president of the 1857 Minnesota Constitutional Convention.
Ramsey was a former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1843-1847), Territorial Governor of Minnesota (1849-1853), and Mayor of St. Paul (1855).
Related Reports
- Can Dayton Catch Lightning in a Bottle Twice? (December 6, 2013)
Sources
- The Faribault Herald, December 24, 1857 (p. 2). The Chatfield Democrat, December 30, 1857 (p. 2).